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diannethegeek
Posts: 14,831Member Member
Posts: 14,831Member Member
A List of Calorie Dense Foods
diannethegeek
Posts: 14,831Member Member
Posts: 14,831Member Member
I'm posting this list with the intention of creating something that people can link to when someone is having a hard time reaching their calorie goal. I hope that other users will add more ideas in the comments.
Calorie dense foods can be your best friend when you're trying to eat more. These are foods that pack a lot of calories into just a small amount, so they boost your calories quickly without putting a lot of extra food in your stomach. This is a generic list and it's definitely not comprehensive, but anything here can be included in a balanced diet (as long as there are no allergies, medical conditions, obviously):
avocado
cheese
full fat dairy
Greek yogurt
ice cream
peanut butter (or other nut butters)
dark chocolate
less lean cuts of meat (including beef, pork, sausage, etc.)
seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, etc.)
nuts
olive oil
coconut oil
butter
beans and lentils
protein shakes, bars, and smoothies
hummus
beef jerky
cornbread
tuna
full calorie condiments
full calorie sauces & dressings
sour cream
guacamole
whole grain pasta
rice
bacon
whole eggs
quinoa
fruit and fruit juices
pretzels
bananas
scones
muffins (bran, blueberry, banana nut, etc.)
potatoes (sweet, red, gold, purple, white, etc.)
dried fruit (raisins, apricots, plums, dates, etc.)
granola
coconut
salmon
edamame
olives
honey
molasses
Calorie dense foods can be your best friend when you're trying to eat more. These are foods that pack a lot of calories into just a small amount, so they boost your calories quickly without putting a lot of extra food in your stomach. This is a generic list and it's definitely not comprehensive, but anything here can be included in a balanced diet (as long as there are no allergies, medical conditions, obviously):
avocado
cheese
full fat dairy
Greek yogurt
ice cream
peanut butter (or other nut butters)
dark chocolate
less lean cuts of meat (including beef, pork, sausage, etc.)
seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, etc.)
nuts
olive oil
coconut oil
butter
beans and lentils
protein shakes, bars, and smoothies
hummus
beef jerky
cornbread
tuna
full calorie condiments
full calorie sauces & dressings
sour cream
guacamole
whole grain pasta
rice
bacon
whole eggs
quinoa
fruit and fruit juices
pretzels
bananas
scones
muffins (bran, blueberry, banana nut, etc.)
potatoes (sweet, red, gold, purple, white, etc.)
dried fruit (raisins, apricots, plums, dates, etc.)
granola
coconut
salmon
edamame
olives
honey
molasses
Replies
I fully agree with things like cheese, peanut butter or avocados as being calorie dense though.
In any case, this all sounds like the stuff I eat most days just to fuel myself
I don't use a definition for "calorie dense" myself. The list was originally created to help those who needed a boost of just a few hundred more calories to get into a safer calorie range. I tried to include a broad list of items to try and hit a variety of needs and tastes and I wanted to include a number of smaller things that could be added to dishes here and there to give someone a boost. I included whole eggs specifically because many dieters avoid the yolks and I wanted to help broaden their idea of what's healthy (much as I included whole milk and full calorie condiments and sauces).
The list has been helpful for many users and it was suggested that I repost it somewhere in it's own thread. We're well past my window to edit the post, but hopefully users will still be able to get some use out of it. As I stated, I hope that others will add their own suggestions.
Wait...that would be my whole day's calorie allowance.
Heavy cream (in coffee or as a milk replacement in recipes) can pack an almost unnoticeable wallop. Eating skin on poultry is also a good idea (maybe covered under "less lean cuts of meat"). And speaking of skin... pork rinds or cracklings? They're not everyone's cup of tea, but they're tasty and light and particularly convenient for low-carbers.
Surprisingly, the next couple days my issues were resolved! I wasn't starving, and my energy levels were remarkable! I now feel much better, despite choosing to eat what some may consider "complete junk."
So if you want something high in calories, I suggest Reese's!
It really won't make you feel full in the moment, but if you portion it to fit your caloric needs, it will sure provide you with the energy you need! You'd be surprised!
(Please note: I do NOT recommend this if you're diabetic!)
There were only 13 comments to this post. That really is not too many comments to not be able to have read them prior to posting.
I have found the more I focus on limiting my caloric intake the harder it sometimes is to stay at a healthy level. I get so wrapped up in not "wasting" my calories I don't eat enough then feel horrible. So, you do eat less within reason. Go too low and it's unhealthy and counterproductive.
There have been a couple of studies that show green tea might have an effect on metabolism, but they aren't conclusive. And the effects that they do show would give someone about 50 extra calories per day, which is really within the margin of error that we see with calorie counting.
But since this is a list of foods for those trying to eat more calories to meet their goals, green tea seems counter-productive to that.